The turmoil in the highest levels of theFDNYbegan when Kavanagh demoted Deputy ChiefsFred SchaafandMichael Galaand Assistant ChiefJoseph Jardin, multiple sources told The News. After about a year as chief of fire operations, John J. Hodgens rises to the highest-ranking uniformed position. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. That shouldnt seem unusual to longtime department employees one of her recent predecessors, Nicholas Scopetta, also had no firefighting background. Coaching Staff Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance 0:00 0:00. The service requires full JavaScript support in order to view this website. FireRescue1 is revolutionizing the way the fire service community New York Daily News. But soon after she got the job permanently, Kavanaghs relationship with veteran department chiefs went up in smoke. She [Kavanagh] can move people in the department to better the safety of the department and all New Yorkers, a source with knowledge of the commissioners thinking told The News. The four chiefs 31-page complaint cites news articles to claim Kavanagh and her aides are engaging in a media smear campaign against them. fdny staff chiefs 2020georgia foraging laws. Under the Nov. 21 settlement, she will get $500,000 in back pay that counts toward her pension, plus $300,000, to cover her attorney fees. The Board of the Fire Chiefs Association hopes this issue of In Command finds everyone healthy and safe. Kavanagh has no firefighting experience. Level Your Ladder Former Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro appointed Hodgens chief of fire operations last year. and suppliers. (Jay) Jonas, Division 7 Commander, Manhattan Third Alarm: Good Communications and Coordination Required at Every Level The current Chief of Department is John J. Hodgens. NEW YORK After FDNY CommissionerLaura Kavanaghdemoted threeFDNYchiefs over the weekend, two of the departments top uniformed officials gave up their own positions in protest, theDaily Newshas learned. All rights reserved. She wanted out of the box thinking, but was peppered with requests about overtime and department-issued take-home cars, according to a recording of the gathering shared with The News. If they werent doing their job, they just wouldnt get promoted any more. The Fire Department of the City of New York, commonly referred to as the FDNY, was established in 1865 and is the largest and busiest municipal fire department in the United States. noble soccer tournament 2021 how to get gems in phase 10: world tour army covid pt test policy fdny staff chiefs 2020. A group of high-ranking FDNY chiefs on Monday filed a lawsuit to halt Commissioner Laura Kavanaghs decision to demote them and others in what they called a retaliatory move. Schaaf was the Queens borough commander when allegations of racism were made in a firehouse. By Firefighter James Sabol, PHOTO REPORTER according to a recording of the gathering shared with The News. 2023 Endeavor Business Media, LLC. The FDNY Foundation is the official non-profit organization of the New York City Fire Department. Kavanagh has abused the office of Fire Commissioner, violated the oath of office, put the public and members of the FDNY at risk, and retaliated against senior staff for raising safety concerns about leadership decisions, the lawsuit claims. The undercurrent of distrust came to a head on Feb. 3, when she demoted three brass assistant chiefs Michael Gala, Joseph Jardin, and Fred Schaaf, who each have around three decades of firefighting experience under their belts. There is an all-black governing team in the PD I guess there will be on in the FD now? Hodgens made $242,193 in 2022 as chief of department. . Stubborn Brooklyn Third Alarm: Overview and Lessons Learned/Reinforced from Box 33-2876 By Deputy Chief David Maj The Kutta Radio By Batta All rights reserved. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. FD has been getting off too easy for too long. The uproar came ahead of a number of promotions scheduled for Tuesday, By Thomas Tracy, Michael Gartland, Graham Rayman Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Massucci said he was transferred from chief of uniformed personnel and sent to the toolroom in the Bureau of Tech Services to humiliate him. As Commissioner Kavanagh made clear, she and her senior team work for the rank and file and the people of this city, not the other way around. Chief of Department The Chief of Department, appointed by the Fire Commissioner, is the highest-ranking uniformed position in the FDNY. July 18, 1977 Brooklyn Tenth Alarm box 10-10-767 Knickerbocker and Bleeker Street. Matt Troutman , Patch Staff Posted Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 3:12 pm ET . By Deputy Assistant Chief Fred Schaaf, Queens Borough Commander, Rebreather Rescue Task Force (RTF): The Rise of the Intelligent Operation By Captain Mark Becker, FDNY and the Hong Kong Fire Services Collaborate to Establish Search and Rescue Group Strategies for High-Rise Building Fires in Hong Kong Lyndelle Phillips, a lawyer and former assistant commissioner for the FDNYs Equal Employment Opportunity Office, said she was fired in 2012 in part because she questioned the married Cassano about his alleged office affair. View Digital Magazine (optimal for desktops) Download Magazine (optimal for most e-readers) Features Senior Firefighters Her 2015 suit, which charged wrongful termination and racial discrimination, had sought $1.2 million. The legal action, filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court, seeks to stop impending demotions expected to go into effect later this week after Kavanagh pulled the trigger on the controversial shake-up earlier this month. 9. By Deputy Chief John Sarrocco and Battalion Chief Stephen Marsar, The Membrane Roof 291. Schaaf, Gala and Jardin, who each also returned to their civil service rank of deputy chief, are close to retirement age. The number of Deputy Chiefs serving currently is also above FDNYs budgeted headcount. After FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh demoted three FDNY chiefs over the weekend, two of the department's top uniformed officials gave up their own positions in protest, the Daily News has learned. staff chief job more appealing. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. With the wide scale availability of the vaccine we hopefully are getting closer . Its early days in the case, but chiefs already have suffered a pair of blows from Brooklyn Federal Judge Rachel Kovner. after he was removed from duty for inappropriate behavior.. At a department meeting of any kind, you are free to speak, exchange ideas and discuss them, the source said. Chief Fields will oversee the Department's over 4,000 EMTs, Paramedics, EMS Officers and civilian employees in the Bureau of EMS. I have never had any disciplinary issues or complaints filed against me and have been well respected by my subordinates and superiors throughout my career, Massucci wrote, adding that the transfer was made without any reasonable explanation, except to state that you are taking the bureau of personnel in a different direction., My reassignment to theBureau of Operationsand placing me in the toolroom in theBureau of Tech Serviceswas an attempt to humiliate and disgrace me amongst my superiors, subordinates, coworkers and friends. Could be true or it could be get rid of a certain demographic. The events of these last several weeks (including being excluded from discussions and the decision making process on serious issues affecting the Bureau of Operations) make clear that Commissioner Kavanagh no longer has that 'faith and trust' in me.". Stating later that my skillsets were being better utilized in my new position was yet another attempt to further disgrace me, Massucci wrote. Fdny chief of department list. Photo by Brooklyn Dispatcher Brian Grogan. This story has been shared 139,644 times. Bureau of Fire Prevention Response to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Outbreak Copyright 2023 FireRescue1. The endgame to me is shes not going to be there in six months.. NEW YORK A sixth FDNY staff chief has requested to be demoted and put back in the field as high-ranking firefighters continue to fume over a leaked audio recording of a . Staff chiefs include the seven citywide tour commanders, the Chief of Fire Prevention, and the Chief of Safety. Go through the Official FDNY Activity Book for Kids with the #FDNYSmart Podcast for kids team members Chloe and retired Firefighter Fanny Glover! Both men technically remain in their posts but will return to their civil service rank of deputy chief. New York Daily News. FDNY sources note that Jardin, Gala and Schaaf havent responded to a single fire since Kavanagh demoted them. TAKING UP 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, One killed in fire in Jackson Heights apartment building, Federal judge upholds demotions of FDNY chiefs, NYC artists getting smoked out by business coal chimney, FDNYs highest-ranking black woman, longtime rep preparing to be fired: sources, Commissioner Laura Kavanaghs decision to demote them and others. Sources said he resisted transferring and disciplining some firefighters in the aftermath. Copyright 2023 That idiot didnt last long but long enough to foul up lots of crap. Stubborn Brooklyn Third Alarm: Overview and Lessons Learned/Reinforced from Box 33-2876 Just a way to get the old school guys to retire and those who replaced the 9/11 losses are ready to leave anyway. All of this crap will not stop until the white folk are out picking cotton and the blacks become the straw bosses. Leonard, who was known for his abrasive comments and for offering up an occasional misogynistic slur, quietly left the department after he was removed from duty for inappropriate behavior. There are still a lot of Leonards in this department, a source close to Kavanagh said. City attorneys claim that the chiefs lawsuit is peppered with fanciful fear-mongering and demeaning language about Kavanagh. The plaintiffs include FDNY Assistant Chief of Fire Prevention Joe Jardin, Assistant Chief of Operations Michael Gala, Assistant Chief of Operations Fred Schaaf and Chief of Uniformed Personnel Michael Massucci. By Assistant Chief Joseph M. Jardin, Chief of Fire Prevention, LEARN FROM HISTORY By Deputy Chief Eugene Ditaranto, Jr. Youre Off Probation. Read our latest newsletter or download archived ones. 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But you get a drunk FF on a car stop, its always the same, Yo man Im on the Job., The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Copyright 2023 A Week in the Life of an FDNY Training Chief June 20, 2022 Frank Leeb chronicles the varied demands of his time at the fire academy, at headquarters and at stations across the city. FDNY Urban Fire Dynamics Summit controversial shake-up earlier this month. They argue in the legal action they and other chiefs were caught up in a pattern of abuse of power and retaliation, by Kavanagh because they questioned her decisions. News, board member notes, meet the chiefs, announcements. You will be redirected once the validation is complete. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh focused on leadership, but chiefs at a recent meeting were more interested in vacation days and using department vehicles, according to a tape. The average FDNY salary ranges from approximately $48,154 per year for a Fdny Emt to $113,222 per year for a Lieutenant. New York, NY, February 27, 2023 Today, in the interests of public safety, four Staff Chiefs of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) filed a lawsuit demanding immediate reinstatement of eleven Staff Chiefs, who serve as Incident Commanders for multi-alarm fires across the City of New York. All times are GMT-5. Commissioner Kavanaugh did not inform Mayor Eric Adams of the personnel changes, but Esposito was expected to meet with City Hall on Monday, sources said. It just didnt happen, the source said. demotions leave the citys firefighting forces with an unimaginable level of unpreparedness, creates a likelihood of irreparable harm to the public, Kovner wrote on Thursday, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. An experienced professional would not seek to fix that which is unbroken. Former FDNY assistant chiefs who were demoted by Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh have filed a lawsuit demanding they and other chiefs affected by the . Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC. Kavanaugh did not consult with Mayor Adams before making the demotions, the sources said. The information on FDNY Pro is considered to be accurate as of the date of publication. NEW YORK Chief of Department James Leonard, the top uniformed officer in the FDNY, has been relieved of his duties and. They asked to be placed in their prior units. Visitnydailynews.com. Is it fair to say that despite the point I made, the majority of the questions here today were about pay and vacation and cars? Kavanagh asked the chiefs, according to the recording. 2023 New York Daily News. I could of heard it wrong but these chiefs that were demoted were pressuring the commissioner into promotions for themselves and getting take home cars and she had enough of their BS. 24C - Director - Fire Tools & Equipment. In an effort to punish them for raising concerns about safety policies, and without any regard to the public-safety implications, Respondent Kavanagh reassigned and then demoted (actually or constructively) nine Staff Chiefs, including the two most senior officers.. All rights reserved. Strife in the Fire Department last week resulted in the firing of two deputy commissioners including Terryl Brown, the departments top lawyer and its the highest-ranking Black executive, and Frank Dwyer, its longtime top media spokesperson. Now everyone is up for grabs, the source said. You must enable JavaScript in your browser to view and post comments. This page was generated at 09:22 PM. By Deputy Chief George K. Healy. We are hopeful that the Court will recognize the urgent public safety interest in this legal action by a united and dedicated group of the Citys public servants, and that their roles will be restored swiftly.. It is not an official City of New York or FDNY website.All information shall not be considered that given by the New York City Fire Department or FDNY. Or, like some in the FDNY, you could see the feud burning between FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh and her top chiefs as a towering inferno of entertainment despite its impact on a public safety agency with a $2 billion budget and 17,000 employees who fight fires, render emergency medical treatment, and answer 911 calls. But with Kavanagh, theres a lack of sophistication, a lack of seriousness, and hubris, the staffer said. We do not comment on personnel moves, top FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer said Monday. By Deputy Chief John A. See it as a matter of life and death involving the only men remotely capable of saving New Yorkers from giant fires or as a sirens-blaring ego trip for prideful, old-school Fire Department chiefs who cant bear having a younger woman as their boss. A slate of promotions are scheduled for Tuesday. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh and her . "Chief" is a 24-minute film about First Deputy Fire Commissioner William Feehan, one of the oldest and highest-ranking members of the FDNY killed on 9/11. The four chiefs who brought the suit argue the expected and past demotions of top FDNY commanders pose a grave risk to the public safety of all New Yorkers. The FDNY Fire Zone is located at 34 W. 51st St., Manhattan. check out the. My real deputy chief said good call on my part he will take care of it and did. 0. They never showed solidarity with us in contract negotiations, they would take zeroes all in the name of protecting their chart and mutuals. The chiefs have not established that the departure or demotion of officials with experience commanding four- or five- alarm fires creates a likelihood of irreparable harm to the public, Kovner wrote on Thursday. If you were at this fire contact John Maher E 218, Jm6391@aol.com and we will compile the story. In pastFDNYadministrations, demotions, particularly at the higher ranks, almost never occurred, oneFDNYsource said. Massucci joins Hodgens, Esposito and FDNY Deputy Assistant ChiefFrank Leebwhohave requested in writing to be demoted to deputy chiefand moved out of the departmentsMetroTechheadquarters in downtownBrooklyn. However, changes in circumstances, operations, equipment and or procedures after the time of publication may impact the accuracy and reliability of the data. A former colleague of Hodgens told The News, He is the most honorable individual I ever met in the FDNY.. It says Gala, 62, Jardin, 61, and Schaaf, 60, are the departments oldest staff chiefs. By Deputy Chief John A. FireRescue1 is revolutionizing the way the fire service community Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh focused on leadership, but chiefs at a recent meeting were more interested in vacation days and using department vehicles, according to a tape. The Holland Tunnel Fire The lack of transparency and the lack of truthfulness, not only with me but with the entire Uniformed Executive Staff, has brought me to this decision. Kavanagh has, over the course of the last four months, waged a war against FDNYs most experienced and important operational commanders, the legal filing argues. By Deputy Chief John A. WTC. Scopetta, a city government veteran, held the job for eight years during former Mayor Michael Bloombergs administration. Staff Chiefs of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) have filed a lawsuit to block the fire commissioner's decision to demote them, a decision they characterize as "retaliatory . He added Super Bowl champion to his resume after he led the 2019 squad to a 31-20 come-from-behind win in Super Bowl LIV against San Francisco. Adams released a statement late Monday, offering "full support" of Kavanaugh. The problem is that the Fire Department of New York does not have a succession plan in place to replace these staff chief officers. It's the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for fire service professionals worldwide.